#NordicFINDS is here!

NB: The wrap post for #NordicFINDS with the full list of all books reviewed can be seen here.


Finally, my project for five weeks of reading Nordic literature is here.

‘FINDS’ – stands for Finland, Iceland, Norway, Denmark & Sweden.

For me, reading Nordic literature really began in the 1990s, when a few modern novels began to appear in translation in English. Some of them went on to become huge bestsellers. I’ve been a fan of contemporary Nordic fiction ever since. I know that there is much more

One of my plans for the project is to revisit those ‘gateway’ novels for me, and hopefully each week feature at least one more novel from each country. It’d be lovely if you’d care to readalong with me, or read any Nordic fare during the challenge.

Here are my gateway books and weekly themes:

  • Jan 3-9 – DENMARK – Miss Smila’s Feeling for Snow by Peter Høeg (1992, 1993 in Eng)
  • Jan 10-16 – NORWAY – Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder (1991, 1994 in Eng.)
  • Jan 17-23 – SWEDEN – Let The Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist (2007) – also film comparison Sw vs US versions
  • Jan 24-30 – FINLAND – My first Finnish reads have been recent, so I will read The Summer Book by Tove Jansson for the first time instead.
  • Jan 31- Feb 6 – ICELAND – Jar City by Arnaldur Indridason

Fiction and Non-fiction are welcome, and don’t feel you have to match the countries to the weeks like I am. Reading any book from any of the five countries at any time during the project will be welcome. This post will remain sticky, so do leave your links in the comments, and I’ll compile a master list for the project of everyone’s reviews, and if tweeting etc, please do use the hashtag #NordicFINDS – thank you.

I hope you enjoy Nordic reading this January with me.

Kippis! Skál! Jubel! Skål! Skål! – Cheers!

And here are the links to all the books reviewed (let me know if I’ve left yours off).

DENMARK

FINLAND

ICELAND

NORWAY

SWEDEN

MULTIPLE COUNTRIES

47 thoughts on “#NordicFINDS is here!

  1. Janakay | YouMightAsWellRead says:

    This sounds like such fun! (I’ve recently started reading Nordic literature and I’m becoming hooked). I plan on at least trying Tove Ditlevsen’s Copenhagen Trilogy; if that doesn’t work out I have a couple of other things on my list. I’m really curious about Jar City, as I was looking for an Icelandic novel to read.

    • AnnaBookBel says:

      I was wondering about the Ditlevsen – but was trying not to spend any more money but reading what I do have already instead. Jar City was good, but I like Yrsa Siggurdadottir more for Icelandic crime.

  2. MarinaSofia says:

    I do like my Nordic nations, and would love to take part in this, if I can find a way to combine it with January in Japan! For Finland, what about Tove Jansson and the Moomins? I know she was of Swedish descent, but she lived and worked in Finland, so that counts.

    • AnnaBookBel says:

      I hope that others will join in with some Jansson – I’ve only read her, even the Moomins in recent years. I might just read more of the other Finnish novels I have already, of which there are quite a few.

      I’ll be joining in the Jap Lit Challenge which runs through to the end of March rather than the Jan in Japan one (if they’re different).

    • Peggy says:

      Finland has a Swedish-language minority of which Tove Jansson was a member. Finland was Swedish territory for hundreds of years.

  3. Liz Dexter says:

    So exciting! I’m interpreting it in my own way, so I’m glad we can do that. I’ve got all the Nordic books off my shelf, including the huge “Sagas of Icelanders” book which is full of saga retelings and I’ve had since just after I got married in 2014! and will try to read and review them all in the month. I have Jon Kallan Stefansson’s “Heaven and Hell” trilogy (Iceland), Christine Ritter’s “A Woman in the Polar Night” (Svalbard, thus Norway), A. Kendra Green’s “The Museum of Whales I will Never See” (Iceland), “The Book of Reykjavik” (short stories, Iceland), Sara Wheeler’s “The Magnetic North” (Svalbard and Lapland, not sure whose bit), Kari Gislason’s “The Promise of Iceland” (Iceland) and Cat Jarman’s “River Kings” (Vikings, so various bits). Photo of the books all laid out on my 1 Jan blog post. https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2022/01/01/state-of-the-tbr-january-2022/ Hope everyone enjoys the challenge!

  4. kaggsysbookishramblings says:

    Hurrah I shall definitely be joining in, though not necessarily in the right order (as Eric Morecambe would have said!) I have Tove Jansson, possibly Tove Ditlevsen and Edith Sodergran in my sights! I even have a Haldor Laxness somewhere…

  5. Lory says:

    I read Smilla’s Sense for Snow (that’s how I remember the translated title) and Sophie’s World long ago when they first came out and were all trendy, it would be interesting to reread now. The only Scandinavian author I’ve read much from is Astrid Lindgren, who has so much to offer beyond Pippi Longstocking (not my favorite of hers in any case). It will be lovely to learn about more authors from yours and others posts, whether I get to any of them during this time or not.

    • AnnaBookBel says:

      Smilla’s Sense of Snow was the title of the film and US version I believe. My Sophie’s World re-read is coming up in Norway week!

  6. Liz says:

    I am loving your Nordic project and your Denmark reads so far. Looking forward to Norway next week for extra books to add to my Norway Project TBR! 👏🏻

    • AnnaBookBel says:

      Thanks Deb. I wouldn’t do the full five weeks again, but perhaps a one-week all in one event in a couple of years time?

  7. Diana @ Thoughts on Papyrus says:

    That sounds great. I do plan to read many books from Scandinavian countries this year. I have just reviewed Tom Kristensen’s Havoc (Denmark) and there was plenty of “Skål!” there since the characters drink a lot in the story. This year I plan to read Henrik Ibsen’s plays too and have just started on Laxness’s Independent People (Iceland).

    • AnnaBookBel says:

      Hi Diana, I’ve added your review to my list in the sticky post. I’ve not ever tackled any ‘classic’ Nordic lit, except for an encournter with Laxness’s Under the Glacier which was very strange, so good luck with that!

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